1:16 a.m. - 2008-02-22
Long night out in the country
Its gonna be a long night. Tonight I find myself sitting in a reclining chair staring at a ceiling that I hope will not cave in on me while I sleep. Tonight I find myself 12 miles outside of Wells Nevada where earlier this morning at approximately 6:15 am a 6.0 magnitude earthquake ripped through the small town leaving a path of destruction never before seen here. There have been over 20 aftershocks today, one measuring 4.6 on the richter scale just a few hours ago. I have never felt more vulnerable in my entire life, but its not just because of the earthquake that shook me out of my slumber this morning. Two weeks ago I accidentally shot myself in the left lower femur with the Glock 9mm that I have always carried with me since I received my concealed carry permit about a year and a half ago. It was a stupid momentary lapse in judgment contributed to by a late night at a friends house playing video games, yes I was tired. That night as I started for home the gun felt particularly uncomfortable in my waistband so at about 15 mph as I was driving out of my friends apartment complex I carelessly reached for my gun to put it on the seat next to me. It only takes a fraction of a second for a gun to discharge when you have your finger placed squarely around the trigger and that's just what happened a soon as my gun left my waistband holster. BANG! When you get shot, or shoot yourself, for a few seconds after the shot your senses dull and it feels as if you are immersed in water everything slows down and it takes a minute, or maybe just a few seconds, to realize what you have done. One of the reasons why its not the quickest of realizations is because you don't hear or feel the shot, I know that sounds weird but you just don't. The only thing that I remember when I was seemingly immersed in water was the smell of gunpowder. As soon as the water receded though I new that I was in grave trouble and I quickly got my senses back about me and proceeded to use my belt as a tourniquet and called 911. I was lifeflighted to the university hospital where I later had surgery and am expected to make a slow but good recovery. While I was in the hospital my lovely Aunt Glenda offered me the sweet milk of human kindness by offering to take care of me and let me recuperate at her ranch just a few miles outside of Wells Nevada. Everything was going smoothly until this mornings earthquake. Being in an earthquake is disarming enough for the average able bodied person but for a person that can only stand with a walker about ten minutes after he decides to get up it is particularly horrifing. The after shocks that happen about twice an hour dont help much either. Aftershocks arent just little rumbles in the distance, they move the ground your standing on everytime they happen and the two story house that Im in compensates by shifting back into place. Im not sure how Im going to get to sleep tonight but Im sure I will find a way.
